In the kingdom of Damoras , in ancient India , ruled a king named Gautam Sriyana , who was known to be born from the womb of a Serpent and it seemed strange as this child was very bright from the very beginning of his life . Unknown of his lineage history , the king was always worried whether he was really worth of this throne or his subjects , even then he never mistaked his kingdom's welfare.

Twenty three years ago , when Damoras was just devastated due to a forest fire which brought everything down to earth , the wise brahmins , Damodar Haryan and Rasajal Tripuri decided to nominate an individual who would make Damoras , whose ancient name was ' Sindhuvrat ' , again a sufficient and earthly place to live but there was no one so suitable to sit on the royal throne of Damoras . They started perfoming sacrifices and different austerities to please the woman of power , Mother Durga and even the people from various kingdoms arrived to have a glance on this sacrificial rituals on the land of Sindhuvrat . After the tedious sacrifice of seven years , continuously day and night , Mother Durga blessed them , " O, the priests of Sindhuvrat , I am please with you both . Ask for a boon so that it benefits the whole universe ." The priests said , " O, Mother , we are blessed with your arrival . Please bless us with a son who will make Sindhuvrat and its people happy . " Mother durga blessed them , " You both will eventually receive a son who will become the protector of this kingdom . "

After three years when there were no signs of any revival , these two priests decided to arrive their ancestors by celestial means and suddenly they heard a loud cry from their home . They rushed out only to find a pregnant serpent who was in labour , and they thought it very surprising as what was this miracle happening . After a few hours , the serpent gave birth to a human boy and died in pain , which made the priests shocked . Thunderstorms started blazing high , rains poured as waterfalls and the future of Damoras was born . The priests prepared for the ritualistic bath of the child and named him ' Gautam ' and crowned him the prince of Sindhuvrat . Both cared and grew the child as their own who came to be known as ' Sriyana ' , one who caresses the feet of Lord Vishnu . But the devil king Hatyarat of neighbouring kingdom , Mahispur was not willing to accept this rule of Damoras and he threatened the people to death if they accept the rulership of Gautam Sriyana .

People were tensed about this chaotic situation going on between the two kingdoms and some hesitantly decided to merge with Mahispur . Damodar and Rasajal knew about the powers of little Gautam and came on a conclusion to teach the devil a lesson . They accepted his words and told him , " O king , since we were suffering so many years we thought that a new king will make us happy and satisfied with his rule . But now if you wish to rule on us , do so on fulfilling one condition . " The king was perplexed as to what did these clever priests mean to do . The two said , " King Hatyarat , a ruler when dies goes back to heaven and enjoys a lot more than what he does in this small kingdom . So we wish that you listen to this process of approach to heaven . " With their sweet words , they captured the devil's mind and made him walk on a funeral fire , making him trust their words . The powerful but brainless ruler died without any difficulty and saving the future of Damoras .

After a couple of years , Gautam grew into a handsome and strong man on whom the responsibility of a king were to be established . The old priests , who made Gautam a prince , crowned him as the ruler of the new kingdom of Damoras . The king announced Sindhuvrat to be renamed as Damoras , on behalf of the two priests who took the responsibility of Sindhuvrat at the time of diasters in the kingdom . The present Gautam is very humble and righteous , equally inclined to all the people . But he is on the search of his ancient dynasty and yet alert on his other duties . Gautam's wife , Sulata was always invoked on knowing the answer to her husband's unsolvable question as only the two priests were present at the spot during his birth . The treasurer of Damoras , Chandrot went to see his great grandfather on the hill of Sastopat , who was immersed in deep meditation and so as he arrived there , the eyes of Jananya (Chandrot's great grandfather) opened and he welcomed his great grandson . Chandrot asked ," O ancestor of my house , I am in a dilemma . Being a minister of my king I am unable to solve his problems . " On replying , Jananya said , " O son , your king is in search of his ancient family whom he is unaware of . Also he will be empty-handed on this earth even if he tries to search the entire earth what to speak of his kingdom . " Listening these words Chandrot said ," But even if he is born of the womb of a serpent then where is his real dynasty ? To what extent he needs to search to get what he wants ? "

Jananya said , " O son of my house , your king's mother is alive even today but the day he was born his mother was hungry and so she fainted but the two priests mistook it as a death and so she thinks herself to be betrayed of her son . " Chandrot was amazed and he further asked about the actual miracle behind this secret to which Jananya replied , " Your king's mother , Gayatri was the queen of Sindhuvrat and Bandguja was the king at that time . Everything was going properly in his kingdom , but suddenly one day the king saw a woman similar to Queen Gayatri with a man on his way to his hunting . He thought that the queen betrayed him of love and on account of this he cursed the queen to become a serpent who betrayed the master on whose hands she feeds . The innocent queen who was in labour at that moment in return cursed his whole kingdom to be destroyed by the fire which burned her self-esteem and so your kingdom was destroyed by a forest fire . " Chandrot was awe-spoken at this incident of unknown family destruction .

Chandrot went back to his kingdom and was in hustle whether to speak the truth in front of the king who would be unable to bear this reality . But to fulfill his duty as a loyal minister he spoke all the truth to the king who was search for a clueless question . The king was curious to know where his mother was but the answer was not present at that time . So he personally went to Jananya along with Chandrot but were surprised to see no one there . His heart broke but suddenly a voice said , " O son of Gayatri , your mother is in heavy pain . You will not find her here , she is residing in poison of suffering and curse . You go towards the east to find her . You will be successful . " King Gautam started his journey towards the east where he met Sage Vanati who suggested him to bath in the Ganga river and offer obeisances to his ancestors who will answer his questions . So the king went to Gaya where he bathed and offer prayers to which his father arrived and said , " O righteous one , to remove the curse off your mother it is necessary that you take the water along with snake poison in your hands till the very end and pour it on the cursed serpent . "

The king went high onto the mountains and down the valleys just to reach a forest of sandalwood trees . The king was captivated by this landscape and he was almost in forgetting his aim when his wife asked him to be patient . While crossing the forest , they came across a long serpent who was in pain and was furious , the king was not sure about how to overcome this problem . So he decided to use his strength but his ministers advised him to ask the giant serpent to move aside . At this moment the serpent saw some human beings and asked them to go back on which the king told all of his motives to move ahead . On listening these words , the serpent moaned loudly causing a havoc and fear in the whole place , and she said , " O God , see my pain . Today someone is in search of his mother and I cannot even search my son just because I am unable to recognize him . O king of Sindhuvrat , I am of no worth now , it would have been quite better if you had offered me death on that day of separation . " Hearing these words , the king realized that he was standing beside his mother but unfortunately he cannot recognize her and he said , " O mother , today I am blessed to find you in this depth of this forest . How unfortunate I am that to wash you off all curses I have to pour poison on you . " The king prayed to his mother and poured the poison and water onto his cursed mother . By virtue of this act , the cursed queen regained her original form and embraced her son . Everyone present was happy to see the reunion of a longing mother and son .

After returning to their kingdom , the king , his queen and their mother lived happily forever.

SACRIFICE AND THE FUNERAL

This story is a gala of love, sacrifice and mystery which lies behind all this ongoings of the past and the present of the characters mentioned with a moral thought of social ideology. The story adheres to the very think of the reader's logical realization towards today's world.